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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28296900">How We Spend The Holidays (And Why It Matters)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pippi_exe/pseuds/pippi_exe'>pippi_exe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Holiday Fic Exchange, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:53:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28296900</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pippi_exe/pseuds/pippi_exe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kiyotaka Ishimaru is trying to study during the winter break. His inconsiderate upstairs neighbor is playing Christmas music far too loudly.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ishimaru Kiyotaka/Oowada Mondo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>78</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Beginners' Guide to Being a Bad Neighbor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyriadMariam/gifts">MyriadMariam</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kiyotaka Ishimaru sat at his desk. It was the first day of winter break, and while most of his classmates were happy to be out of school for a while, Kiyotaka found himself feeling frustrated. Winter break meant that the university was closed, which meant that the school’s library was closed, which meant that Kiyotaka had to study at home. Not that he had a problem with studying at home!--at least, he normally wouldn’t, except his upstairs neighbor seemed to be taking the holiday spirit a bit too far.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kiyotaka had experienced...difficulties with his upstairs neighbor for some time now. Most days they were out of the house, but this was during the time that Kiyotaka often spent at the library. In fact, they conveniently only seemed to be home whenever Kiyotaka was trying to sleep or study. The problem wasn’t that they were home during this time, though; when you live under somebody, you should expect to hear noises like footsteps and voices, and Kiyotaka understood that very well. No, the problem was that his neighbor, when they were home, blasted music from what Kiyotaka could only assume was a semi-serious audio setup.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their music of choice was usually rock or hip-hop, with the occasional “electronic dance music” or EDM that shook the walls with its heavy bass beats--much different from the pleasantly quiet orchestral music that Kiyotaka preferred to listen to when he studied. In the blessed spirit of the holidays, however, Kiyotaka’s neighbor had taken to cranking out Christmas carols; metal covers of traditional Christmas songs; and, Kiyotaka was sure, more Mariah Carey than any one person should be able to tolerate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kiyotaka’s pencil slipped as the thumping beat of what seemed to be an electronic version of “Jingle Bell Rock” vibrated through the walls of his apartment. He glared down at the ugly mark he had made on his page of meticulous and detailed notes--if only he was in the school library! By now, the librarian on duty would have put a stop to this ruckus and Kiyotaka would be working in peace. It would be quiet, and Kiyotaka would read his textbook and take notes, and wave goodbye to his classmates Makoto and Sayaka as they left for the afternoon. He would continue his work until the calm of the library was inevitably broken by one ornery, obnoxious Mondo Oowada--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kiyotaka gripped his pencil until his knuckles were white. Mondo Oowada. Now, Kiyotaka did not hate any of his classmates; they occasionally irritated him, sure, and it was his duty as hall monitor to correct them for breaking rules, but he didn’t hate them, or even dislike them. Mondo Oowada, however, Kiyotaka certainly did not prefer. They only had a couple classes together, but it seemed as though they crossed paths far too often, and whenever they crossed paths, they butted heads. Mondo was loud and crude, with a foul mouth and poor attendance and even worse study habits. He would saunter into class ten minutes tardy and kick back in his chair with his legs crossed on his desk. When Kiyotaka would shoot a glare his way, Mondo would return it with a rude gesture of his hand. He addressed the professor as “Teach” and his homework was incomplete as often as it was complete. When class was over, he would shove his papers into his bag--he didn’t even have a folder for his schoolwork!--and leave without so much as a “goodbye”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When they encountered one another in the hallway, Kiyotaka would attempt to correct Mondo's behavior. His efforts were often met with resistance in the form of cursing and threats of physical violence. Kiyotaka knew the threats were empty, and saying so to Mondo's face only served to stoke the fire between them. Mondo would grab him by the collar and shake him around a little, though not enough to hurt him, and Kiyotaka would stand his ground. Then Mondo would back off with a string of obscenities and depart, and Kiyotaka would hear the terrible spitting and revving of that obnoxiously loud motorcycle, from which Mondo had intentionally removed the muffler. Kiyotaka doubted that it was even street-legal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He decided he could take it no longer. He closed his textbook forcefully and rose from his desk, not even bothering to put on a coat before stepping outside; he was so frustrated that he was sure that his body was giving off steam in the frigid air. He stomped up the stairs to his neighbor's door and knocked. The door did not open immediately; from inside, Kiyotaka could scarcely hear muffled cursing from over the loud music. Before he could think about how the voice sounded strangely familiar, the door swung open and standing in the doorway to the offensively noisy apartment was none other than--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ishimaru?!" The surprise in Mondo Oowada's face was quickly overtaken by a dark glare. "The hell do you want, hall monitor?" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mondo Oowada, the rowdy troublemaker from school. Mondo Oowada, Kiyotaka's unofficial rival and least favorite classmate. Mondo Oowada, Kiyotaka's inconsiderate upstairs neighbor. Kiyotaka wasn't sure if he should be feeling more angry or more shocked at the revelation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I--" Kiyotaka stammered. He shook off the feeling of surprise and straightened his back. "I should not be surprised that you are my inconsiderate upstairs neighbor!" he accused, putting his hands on his hips and scowling. "Your apartment is so noisy, and I am trying to study!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Of fuckin' course you are," Mondo retorted, seemingly having recovered completely from his surprise and now fully immersed in bickering with the angry hall monitor at his door. "God, do you ever do anything else?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kiyotaka huffed indignantly. "Yes, I do. I practice Kendo--"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Kendo? Christ, is that all that yelling I always hear at the ass-crack of dawn? And you say <em>my</em> apartment is loud!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Briefly, a pang of guilt shot through Kiyotaka; he had not known that his Kendo was a disturbance to his neighbors. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Mondo cut him off. "Gimme a fuckin' break, man, it's Christmas! Get that stick outta yer ass and, I dunno, replace it with a candy cane or somethin'. Fuck off and quit botherin' me."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Now, Oowada, I know you do not value your schoolwork like you should, but I do, and I would appreciate it if you were not so loud," Kiyotaka said, his words dripping with annoyance.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah, and I'm lazy and rotten and everything else that's wrong with your perfect little society," Mondo growled. "Have fun studying, hall monitor. Come back when you decide not to be such a fuckin' grinch." And with that, Kiyotaka stood fuming as the door slammed in his face. Who did Mondo think he was? Thoroughly frustrated and freezing cold, Kiyotaka returned to his apartment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kiyotaka removed his snow-covered coat, then his shoes, and left them by the door. He did not want to track snow and mud across the floor; unlike some people, Kiyotaka cared about his property. Surely Mondo did not keep a clean apartment like he did--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kiyotaka blinked. Why was Mondo still on his mind? This delinquent who had no respect for anything, with whom Kiyotaka was stuck having as a neighbor,  who was obnoxious and frustrating with everything he did. It was no surprise that he was incorrigible, even during the holidays. Kiyotaka sunk down in an armchair with a sigh. It was the holidays; of course Mondo would be celebrating. This was supposed to be a time for joy and peace, and here Kiyotaka was, alone in his apartment after arguing with his neighbor. Guilt struck him through his stomach. Mondo deserved to celebrate the holidays just as much as anyone else. Just as much as Kiyotaka did, too, he realized. It was then that he remembered what Mondo had said: "Come back when you decide not to be such a... freaking grinch." Perhaps that was not such a bad idea.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Story Time: My Neighbor Kidnapped Me On Christmas?! (Not Clickbait!)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>POV: Your handsome neighbor cooks for you and watches movies with you on the couch<br/>Also POV: You're gay</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once more, Kiyotaka found himself standing at his upstairs neighbor's door. <em>Mondo Oowada's door</em>, he reminded himself with a hint of frustration. Even though it was Mondo, he did not want to dishonor his classmate's invitation. It had been an invitation, right? Mondo had explicitly said the words "come back," so it had to be. Kiyotaka fiddled with one of his cufflinks and wondered if he might be overdressed. He raised his hand to knock on the door, but stopped himself when he heard something from inside. Louder than the still-pounding music came Mondo's voice, apparently singing along at the top of his lungs. It didn't sound terrible, but it was definitely unexpected. Kiyotaka felt his heart warm up at the idea of a rude, intimidating biker singing Christmas songs. It wasn't enough to keep the rest of his body warm, though, so he quickly knocked with hopes of getting out of the frigid winter air.</p><p> </p><p>Immediately the singing stopped, and Kiyotaka wouldn't admit that he felt a little disappointed. Then the door opened and he was face to face with Mondo Oowada once again. The taller man frowned, causing Kiyotaka to wonder if he should have just stayed home. Maybe it hadn't been an invitation after all.</p><p> </p><p>"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to--" Mondo cut himself off as he looked Kiyotaka up and down. "Why are you all dressed up?"</p><p> </p><p>Kiyotaka blushed. "I had a feeling I was overdressed," he admitted. "I'm here because I think you were right."</p><p> </p><p>Mondo looked deeply confused; it was almost comical the way Kiyotaka could practically see the gears in his head turning as he tried to figure out what was going on. He let Mondo think for a little while before deciding to help the poor man out before he burst a blood vessel or something. "You told me to come back when I was...ready to embrace the Christmas spirit," Kiyotaka supplied.</p><p> </p><p>"That ain't what I said," Mondo murmured, more to himself than to Kiyotaka, before shaking his head. "Whatever, it's fuckin' freezing out here. Just come inside," he conceded, stepping aside so that Kiyotaka could walk past him.</p><p> </p><p>Kiyotaka was grateful that Mondo let him in, but the feeling only lasted a moment before being overtaken with a barrage of other feelings. The first was the realization that Mondo's apartment was nothing like what Kiyotaka had expected. He had imagined a filthy room strewn with empty cup-noodles with walls covered in pictures of nude women...actually, as he thought about it, Kiyotaka realized that was pretty silly. Mondo's apartment was not like that at all, though. Sure, it was messier than Kiyotaka kept his own apartment, but it was far from being what he would consider unacceptable. </p><p> </p><p>In the center of the small living area sat a coffee table the likes of which Kiyotaka had never seen before. It was unusual, not in its shape or structure but its composition; several nails stood out visibly against the grainy, light-colored wood. There wasn't much on it except for the television remote, an empty ashtray, and--coasters? Kiyotaka was surprised to find that the same Mondo Oowada who put his feet on the desks at school used coasters to protect his furniture. Behind the coffee table was a well-worn sofa that looked incredibly comfortable despite its aging upholstery. Each of the two cushions bore a permanent rear-shaped indent, the leftmost much more prominent than the other. </p><p> </p><p>Kiyotaka knelt to unlace and remove his snow-covered boots before stepping farther into the space. "Thank you for inviting me inside, Mondo," he smiled. Mondo coughed and turned away; his cheeks must have become red from the cold. "Don't mention it," he grumbled. Before anything else, Kiyotaka assumed a deep bow before a startled Mondo Oowada. "I owe you my apologies, Mondo!"</p><p> </p><p>"Wha--huh?" Mondo spluttered. "What the hell are you apologizing for?" </p><p> </p><p>"I have misjudged you! I have been nothing but stern with you, and yet you invite me into your home. You honor me with your kindness!" Mondo blushed so deeply that he must have been emanating heat into the chilly air. "Yeah, well..." he muttered, "Make yourself at home, then."</p><p> </p><p>Kiyotaka thanked him graciously and sat down on the left side of the sofa, sinking into the softness of the cushions. He watched as Mondo disappeared into the kitchen, from where the holiday music appeared to be emanating. While Mondo didn't seem to want Kiyotaka to hear him singing, the low hum of his voice could be heard following along with each song.  It brought a warm feeling to Kiyotaka's chest; outwardly, Mondo seemed like an angry, rude character, but in his own home, he was quite pleasant. With each passing moment, Kiyotaka found himself quickly becoming more and more fond of the man.</p><p> </p><p>He was drawn out of his thoughts with a tantalizing smell that made his mouth water. Shortly thereafter, Mondo stepped out of the kitchen with a large plate of fried chicken, and once again, Kiyotaka was surprised at how different this Mondo Oowada was from his initial assumptions. "I, uh, didn't expect you to come over, so don't complain if there ain't enough for both of us," Mondo said, looking slightly embarrassed. He placed the plate of food on the coffee table before Kiyotaka and continued, "I'm used to just cookin' for myself, so--" His voice cut off as he stared at the man sitting comfortably on his couch. </p><p> </p><p>"Mondo? Is something wrong?" Kiyotaka asked, hoping he hadn't overstepped his boundaries in his neighbor's home.</p><p> </p><p>"Nah, it's just, uh...you're sitting in my spot." When Kiyotaka looked up at him with a puzzled expression, Mondo clarified, "That's my side of the couch. You sit on the other side."</p><p> </p><p>Kiyotaka complied and Mondo plopped down next to him, exhaling a loud, relaxed sigh as he sank into the cushions. He looked over at Kiyotaka and, after a moment of awkward eye contact, he laughed loudly and flashed Kiyotaka a brilliant grin. "Thanks for keepin' my seat warm," he chuckled, clapping Kiyotaka on the shoulder. Kiyotaka couldn't help but smile and shake his head. At the end of the day, the banter between Mondo and Kiyotaka that they had kept up during school was still going strong, though much more amicable than before. Mondo leaned forward and grabbed a piece of chicken, digging in. Kiyotaka followed suit and was impressed at how good it tasted. </p><p> </p><p>"Mondo, this is good!" he beamed. "You made this yourself?" Mondo blushed and scoffed, "Yeah. I don't always have the time to cook when I'm doin' stuff with the gang, but I try to when I can. Saves money and stuff." </p><p> </p><p>"How reasonable! I am used to cooking for my father and myself when he comes home from work," Kiyotaka said. "Though I have never made fried chicken."</p><p> </p><p>"Not even for Christmas?" Mondo asked incredulously through a mouthful of food. "It's, like, the best tradition ever!" Kiyotaka huffed out a short laugh and shook his head.</p><p> </p><p>"My family has never made fried chicken for Christmas," he said, looking down thoughtfully at the fried chicken in his hands. He wished he had asked Mondo for silverware; he did not want to make a mess. Mondo didn't seem to mind making a mess himself, though, so maybe it was okay. </p><p> </p><p>"My brother would always bring home a couple buckets of fried chicken the night of Christmas Eve. It was fuckin' awesome." Mondo had a smile on his face and a faraway look in his eyes. It was touching to see him so emotional. <em>He was beautiful</em>, Kiyotaka realized, swallowing harder than necessary. As if he had realized that he had accidentally shared something so personal, Mondo quickly turned the tables, asking, "So what about you? Yer not going home for Christmas?"</p><p> </p><p>Kiyotaka shook his head with a frown. "No, I am not. I regret that I cannot spend it with my father this year, but he was too busy with work and it would have been too stressful."</p><p> </p><p>Mondo cleared his throat and sat up straight, puffing out his chest. "Well, you sure as hell ain't spending it alone, not on my watch," he announced. Kiyotaka tilted his head, his thick eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.</p><p> </p><p>"Who would I spend it with?"</p><p> </p><p>Mondo scoffed and tugged at a loose thread on the sleeve of his sweater. "Me, dumbass. We can watch shitty movies and eat food and stuff. If you want."</p><p> </p><p>Kiyotaka's look of wide-eyed surprise quickly melted into a splitting grin, and he practically tackled Mondo in a hug. "Oh, you mean it? You--You're inviting me to spend the holiday with you?" And as quickly as he had embraced the other man, Kiyotaka pulled away, leaving a blushing Mondo floundering. He wiped at his eyes with his sleeve.</p><p> </p><p>"Shit, h-hey, Taka, don't cry, man, it's okay," Mondo stammered, not sure how to calm him down. He settled for placing a hand on Kiyotaka's shoulder. "It ain't a big deal--"</p><p> </p><p>"It is a big deal!" Kiyotaka argued, his voice quivering. </p><p> </p><p>"Okay, okay, just pipe down, alright. It'd be my honor, anyway," Mondo grumbled, facing away to hide his embarrassment. Kiyotaka sniffled and shook his head, but smiled all the same. He leaned against Mondo's shoulder. To keep himself distracted from the warm body snuggled up close to him, Mondo turned on the television and started flipping through channels.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, are you going to put on a movie?" Kiyotaka asked. Mondo grunted an affirmation. "When we were younger, every night for the week before Christmas, me 'n my brother would watch those terrible Hallmark movies--y'know, where the big businessman meets a lady who teaches him the meaning of Christmas or some bullshit--and make fun of 'em. Sometimes we'd laugh so hard we'd puke!" He laughed as he recalled the memory.</p><p> </p><p>"I don't think I've ever seen a movie like that," Kiyotaka admitted, and Mondo snickered in response. "Then you're in for a treat, my friend. Let me introduce you to the world of shitty Christmas movies, Taka."</p>
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